Save These Dates: November 21-23, 2013

Synod of Lincoln Trails' New Pastor Program Participants Invited to Reunion

The Synod of Lincoln Trails is excited to sponsor the first ever REUNION of ALL New Pastors Program participants. Beginning with Group One and including everyone, even Group Twenty Two!

Back by Popular Demand

CRE Continuing Education Opportunities

The "Sacred Seasons" preaching workshops are led by the Rev. Dr. Laura Reason, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Highland, Ind. Dr. Reason is a nine-time teacher of preaching and worship leadership to Synod of Lincoln Trails ruling elders.

The 2013 workshops are:

May 11 - Pentecost I

August 24 - Pentecost II

November 2 - Advent, Christmas and Epiphany

Cost: $35 per class. Includes lunch and teaching materials.

Classes will be held at Philo Presbyterian Church in Philo, IL from 9:30am - 2:30pm (Central Time).

For more information contact Kristi Miller via email or by calling

(800) 566-5996.

Synod of Lakes and Prairies Announces On-Line Synod School Registration

Registration for the Synod of Lakes and Prairies' Synod School is available on-line. The theme for the July 21-26, 2013 program is "Belonging to God" and will be held at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. A catalog of courses along with information and forms are available on the Synod of Lakes and Prairies website.

2013 Presyterian Youth Triennium

Big Tent Registration is Now Open   

Spring at Pyoca Camp

Clinton Presbyterian Church Celebrates 100th Birthday of the Magill Organ with Concert

May 4, 2012 at 4:00pm 

Lombard Mennonite Peace Center Offers Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders

Everyone Has to Deal with Conflict 

Conflict is normal and inevitable - whether in the home, school community, church or workplace. Leaders in all walks of life often have a responsibility to help others work through their conflicts.

The Medication Skills Training Institute presented by the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (LMPC) is designed to equip church leaders with the skills necessary to deal effectively with interpersonal, congregational mediation and consultation, placed within the context of family systems theory.

Who will benefit:

• Pastors and Interim Pastors
• Judicatory Leaders
• Denominational Officials and Church Consultants
• Lay Leaders and Pastor-Parish Committee Members
• Administrators
• Managers and Supervisors
• College and Seminary Students
• Attorneys
• Community Mediation Center Staff and Volunteers  

Certificate in Executive Leadership Program Accepting Applications

Apply Now and Receive a Tuition Discount!

Applications for Cohorts VII of McCormick's highly regarded Certificate in Executive Leadership program are now being accepted. The Certificate will be offered on the McCormick Campus during the 2013-2014 Academic Year.

Since it's beginning in 2009, pastors, lay leaders, lay staff members of congregations, and executives in regional governing bodies have benefited from this program which is designed to meet head-on the growing challenges of leadership in today's church. Set within four two-and-a-half day sessions, specially-selected faculty draw on contemporary leadership theory and practice to better equip participants to think and act transformationally, adaptively and wholistically within their own settings of ministry. Indeed, it is this practical integration of theory and practice in the students' ministry contexts that is the integral core of the program.

Space is limited and filling so apply early! A $100.00 tuition discount is available to those whose applications are postmarked June 1, 2013 or earlier.

For more information click here, or contact Martha Brown at mbrown@mccormick.edu or (773) 947-6361.

Find out what's happening within the presbyteries of the Synod of Lincoln Trails. Click on the links below to read the newsletters or visit their webpages. 

• Presbytery of Blackhawk
• Presbytery of Chicago
• Presbytery of Great Rivers
• Presbytery of Ohio Valley
• Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois
• Presbytery of Wabash Valley
• Presbytery of Whitewater Valley  

IUPUI Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Religion & American Culture

Third Biennial Conference on Religion and American Culture Slated for June 6-9, 2013 

The Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture is pleased to announce the Third Biennial Conference on Religion and American Culture, to be held at the Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre Hotel, June 6 through June 9. The overarching themes of this third biennial conference will be "thinking again about old topics" and "new developments." Scholars from multiple perspectives will serve on multidisciplinary panels.

Like the conferences in 2009 and 2011, the room will be set up in a circle with audience members on risers around the central round table. This set-up promotes more participation from the audience and deeper conversation among the panelists and those surrounding them. The hotel is again conveniently located in downtown Indianapolis among restaurants, museums, and public parks--all very conducive to continuing over coffee and meals those conversations begun in sessions.  

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The Clergy Program "Resilient Leadership"

The Clergy Program offers on-site programs available for the upcoming months of March, April, May and June of 2013 for pastors, church professionals and other church leaders. The five-day intensive Program features daily individual and group consultations, fitness assessment and training, spiritual direction, and professional follow-up coaching.

The Board of Pensions assists pastors offset program costs through the Shared Grant Fund. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has long sponsored pastors affected by trauma.

For more information click here.